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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27147685">An Apple a Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/asuralucier/pseuds/asuralucier'>asuralucier</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Forever (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>1900s ish, Candied Apples, Ferris Wheels, Fluffy, M/M, Slightly Grumpy Henry, Theme: Seasonal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:56:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27147685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/asuralucier/pseuds/asuralucier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James and Henry go to a fall festival. James is determined to broaden Henry’s horizons.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Carter (Forever)/Henry Morgan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Apple a Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karios/gifts">Karios</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A thank you to my two wonderful betas!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“...Remind me why I’ve agreed to come on this excursion with you again?” Henry groused as he wrapped his scarf tighter around himself. The crowded carriage of the train, the air within it more smoke than oxygen had done nothing to alleviate the foul humor that he had carried with him from the city.</p><p>James, on the other hand, looked as if nothing could spoil his mood, which was more befitting of the summer that had just passed, rather than the present autumnal gloom. He slung an easy arm around Henry and gave his elbow a squeeze. “Oh come Henry, you’ll scare the children!” </p><p>Henry looked around. There were indeed gaggles of children, dressed in bright colors and accompanied by their slightly less excited, more harried-looking parents. But slowly, it seemed to Henry that thanks to their laughter, the atmosphere was becoming warmer around them. </p><p>“Besides,” James continued, still leaning close enough to Henry that he could feel the other man’s breath hot near his ear, “if I didn’t get you to accompany me, then you’d either be working, thinking about work, preparing for work…”</p><p>“I think I take your point,” said Henry. </p><p>“We’ll have fun,” James said cajolingly, stepping away from him, but still beaming, as if he was determined to have his cheerfulness be infectious. “I promise.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>🍂 🍎 🍂 🍎 🍂</p>
</div>“Anyway, I think you ought to thank me,” said James, taking on quite the reasonable tone. He insisted on purchasing Henry’s roll of tickets for his trouble, and tucked his change back into his pocket before handing the tickets over. “It’s Halloween this weekend. Did you really <i>want</i> to be extricating yet another sheep’s head from some poor man? Is that something you find enjoyable? Something that gives your life purpose as a man of science?”<p>“Are you going to dine out on that tale forever?” Henry gave him a sidelong glance. Despite himself, he was amused, and also despite himself, almost relaxed. The atmosphere of the whole festival as far as he could see was busy, but unhurried, and when Henry felt someone brush by his elbow, his first instinct wasn’t to check the contents of his pockets for something gone missing. Instead, he grinned at the small boy who smiled back at him with a gap between his teeth. </p><p>Then Henry recovered from his momentary cheerfulness. “The man wasn’t even your patient.” </p><p>“A man comes in like that, it’s bound to feel a little communal, no matter how distant one’s involvement.” James shrugged. Then he clapped his hands together, the sound slightly muffled by the fact that he was wearing gloves. “That’s that then, no more work talk! Let’s try the Ferris Wheel, shall we?” </p><p>Before Henry could protest, James was already dragging him to the structure which purported to be “just like the Big Eli! You can scarcely tell the difference!”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>🍂 🍎 🍂 🍎 🍂</p>
</div>Granted, neither James nor Henry had ever been on the Big Eli, which had billed itself as the first ever Ferris Wheel in 1900, an appropriate spectacle for the turn of the century.<p>So it was natural that Henry didn’t draw a comparison between the two. Mostly, he thought about the rickety carriages being a tremendous height off the ground.</p><p>James rubbed his back in broad circles, still a winsome enough expression on his face, but an uneasy shadow crept in at the edges. “Are you all right?” </p><p>Henry forced an exhalation from his lungs. “I think so.” </p><p>“If I had known…” </p><p>Henry held up a hand. “I said I was well, didn’t I? You looked as though you enjoyed yourself anyway.” </p><p>“I did,” James said, and the worried shadow slipped away from his face as he smiled. That made Henry feel better too, but he couldn’t exactly put his finger on why. “I thought it was exhilarating!” </p><p>“I think you were confusing that for a near-death experience, James, if I do say so myself.” </p><p>“What’s wrong with that?” James asked.</p><p>Henry kept quiet long enough again for James to take him by the arm and guide him slowly away from the Ferris Wheel. James said, “I know just the cure. I’ve always wanted to try one, but it just hasn’t been the season.” </p><p>A few minutes later, Henry found himself standing in front of a stall manned by a man with a friendly looking mustache. He displayed his wares clearly, a row of apples polished to an almost glasslike sheen. Although Henry had to admit that this venture was more promising than what he was beginning to think of as the Ferris Wheel Disaster of 1906, part of him still wanted to protest. Perhaps out of habit. </p><p>But before Henry could make up his mind to do so, James had already stepped up to the stall and torn off the precise number of tickets, exchanging them for two candied apples. </p><p>“An apple a day,” James said, holding out one towards Henry. </p><p>“So that we doctors don’t get to earn our bread?” Henry finished with a raised eyebrow. “Thank you, I suppose.” </p><p>“Must you always be so cynical?” James tutted before he took a bite out of his treat. “I was thinking more so that we poor overworked doctors don’t have to work weekends.” </p><p>The apple was sticky and warm. Henry tried not to look like he enjoyed it overly much; but as it was, he thought James had already seen through him. </p><p>James said, leaning in close for a kiss, the taste of it sweet and gentle after they’d moved a little ways from the stall, in possession of a small measure of privacy, “Admit it, you’re enjoying yourself.” </p><p>Henry had to agree, “I suppose I am.”</p>
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